Coordination aid for walking



B. RINGMAN COORDINATION AID FOR WALKING July 21, 1953 Filed July 30, 1949 BERN/CE R/NGMA/V,

I wmvroe. HUEB/VE/P, BEEHLER, WORREL,

HERZ/G 8 CALDWELL,

ATTQRNEYS Patented July 21', 1953 l v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE age-46,252 r coonoruAnoN AIDFORWALKING fiernioo'BisismamLos Angeles, application July so, 1949, Serial 110mm sonims. (chans n) for teaching handicapped persons particularly children afflicted, asfwith an affliction like cerebral palsy, to walk and to coordinate arm and leg movements just normal manner While walking. More particularlylthe invention relates to skis or the like upon which the individuals feet are secured and which may be slid as along a floor including arm rests or grips whose movements correspond with selected skis. I

It is sought by the instant inventionto provide a walking aid of the simplest possible c nstruction consistent with the inte ded function of coordinatingrthe movement of the left leg'of the er wi h e right rm, and the right leg wit the left arm; V 7

t s, thereior am ng the obj cts to pr vide a device of he desired character described of simpl co structi n with re dily repla ea le par s capabio of adjustment to suit individual roill irements.

I is anot erobieot of the invention to pr vi anvimproved walking ski const uction having a ne and improved association therewith of arm m vement controlling apparatus.

Anot or object of the invent on is t e provision of simp fi d, changeable skis. I

Another iurther obioo of he invention is the provision of new and improved arm: supp rting and o o nating svioes; v

It is among thejmore general obje ts of the invention to provide a smoothly-op rating, foolp oof c n tru ion bywhich walking aid skis may be guided ver the floor walkingand the loot slid a ng with fa ility, 1 1

Another general, object of the inv nt on islthe provision t a ositive combined handliolsing device and dual. ski seourement.

additi n to the above'reoited obieots i intended by the instant invention to provide improvements over prior art structures heretofore intend d to aocomplishgenerally simi ar purposes and in this con ection, the inventionconsists in the const u ti n;- arrang ment and combination of the var us-partsof the device wher by the objects contemplatodare attaine as hereinafter set forth, ointed out in the appended claims,

and illus rated in the accompanying drawin s.

In the drawings Figure 1 {a perspective view of a walking aid ski apparatus embodying this inv n n as used- I Figure 2is avsrtic l sec onal view taken as on aline 2- -2 of Fi ure 1,

Figure 3 is asido iewoisuch, apparatus as ed, incorporat ng amod fie am 3 E. Figure st is a detailgd viewiragmentarilyillustrotted, taken as on a line-idlofjijgure l some: hand-hold. 7

' Referring more particularly to the drawings which are try way of illustration but not of rigid limitation, a child 40 has his left and right'feet H and I2 secured as by heel rests l3 and'toe l straps M to a pair of skis l5 and It respectively. Each of the skis is formed with a longitudinally disposed transverse slot, the slots upon respective skis being in vertically another.

offset relation to one Thus thejski 15 which, being an essentially ,"eilongate preferably wooden block havinga top 20, inner side '21, outer side 22, a front end 23; a rear end 24, and a bottom 25, is similar in all respects to it comp-anion ski 16 and is formed with a slot, as aforesaid, 30., The slot 30 isofiset vertically from and is disposed in a p'lan'e below an otherstep for which the apparatus is designed and which it would be safe for the individu l It) to take. ,j

If desired, the length of the slots ,30 and 3| may be efiectively adjusted as by an expansible clamp fitted aswith a bolt 35v which maybe slid' al ng either ofthe slots, respectively, as

desired.

rm'supporting members 40 and M are ecured,

V respectively, to ths skis I15 and it. Such supports may take the form of tubular members 42 having lowervends 43 ex endin freely thro gh one of the slots 38 and 3| and firmly anchored as y means of set screw 45 and optionally additionally expandable screws orsimilar fittings.

The supports 40 and 4! may each be bent as at 45 defining an arm 41 preferably directed vertically upwardly. such tubular arms may be provide with set screws threadably disposed in lu =43 for retaining a telescoping hand-hold member ,5! in a desired position f upward extension within the tubular arms 41. The hand holds may take the form of'lhandles, as illustrated in Figure 1,

-Which may be positioned at normal hand height, 7

as in the illustration (Figure 1), orthey may take the form of arm rests .66, positioned forwardly as by offset portion 65, as illustrated, for example,

in Figures. Th ymoyiurther take the jform of a hand bar offset forwardly as at 61 and project- 3 ing upwardly as at 68 as shown in Figure 5. Manifestly, the arm supports, hand grips, and the like are interchangeable and may be varied to suit individual requirements.

Likewise, the foot may be held, if desired, in any practical position of relative longitudinal adjustment on the skis by utilizing an ankle-encircling strap secured at the heel thereof utilizing an angle-encircling strap secured at the heel thereof upon longitudinal movable glides guided by flanges, rails, or other suitable means. Such glides may then be adjustably positioned at any station along the skis (a) to position the user rearwardly or forwardly on the skis at any desired position relative to selected arm supports and (b) to adjust for variant foot sizes.

In order to retain the skis I5 and [5 in a desired spaced relation and to prevent their rubbing one against the other, if suchis sought to be avoided, washers 50 may be employed upon the arms d3. Similar washers or flanges 50a may be employed between the upright portions 42 of the supports and the side edges 22 of the skis thereadjacent. These serve to retain the skis in a proper position of alignment but are not essential.

Turning ability of skis I5 and I6 is facilitated by relative spreading of the skis, particularly angularly. Therefore, freeing of the suggested washers 5B and 53a, especially those 50a, enables the user to turn more readily. Increased lateral length of the end portions 43 of the sup ports is therefore desirable.

In the use of the instant apparatus an individual l unable to coordinate the movement of armsor legs or unable to walk is strapped to the skis as heretofore indicated, the straps and heel supports l3 and 14 being secured as by screws or other appropriate manner to respective skis. A walking movement is attempted by sliding the skis along the floor in a shufiiing or gliding manner while holding the handgrips 52 for support.

If the right foot [2 is moved forward initially the support 40 slides in the slot 3| of the ski l6 until it engages the rearmost end 32 of such slot or to a point somewhat short of such end 32. The arm support 4| being secured at its end 43 to the ski It moves forwardly with ski IS, the end 430f the support 4| being secured to move within the slot 39 of the ski i5. Thereby the left arm to of the individual 19 is moved forwardly with the right foot [2 and vice versa to simulate normal walking, The ski I5 is meanwhile stationary as is the left foot I! and the right arm 6|.

The left foot I! is next moved forwardly in a similar fashion carrying the left ski l5 and the arm support 48 for the right arm 51 forwardly in like manner.

The skis should not overlap in walking due to the slidable movement thereof and due also to their height.

"In order to relieve any downward pressure imposed upon the arm supports which might impair the easy movement of the skis, such'supports may be fitted with castors or the like (not shown) as at 43 or 46 designed to roll along the floor. Likewise, the portions 43 may be fitted as with roller bearings or the like (not shown) to ease movement of the supports within the slots the skis to further facilitate'their movement over the floor.

Repeated practice with the device has been found exceedingly valuable from a therapeutic standpoint and its simplicity of construction and economy of parts and manufacture, as well as the interchangeability and adjustability thereof, render the same available to individuals otherwise unable to afford therapeutic devices of this character. i

' The invention features the provision of a therapeutic and instructive walking aid ski which, if the ends 23 and 24 thereof are curved at their top edges 53, as they are at their bottom edges 64, are not only reversible but when inverted may serve as right or left skis indiscriminately, assuming that .the arm and foot supports are removably associated with the skis proper. The invention further features the provision of a simplified ski construction preferably composed of wood, plastic, or the like, for the skis, and of pipe or other rod or metal supports for the arm rests and associated structure. These parts are naturally connected and interrelated to achieve desired coordination in a natural manner as near as possible in view of the necessity of the gliding gait assumed by individuals requiring the instant apparatus. The instant device teaches balance, transfer of weight in a walking pattern, and rhythmical movement of arms and legs during walking.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent structures.

The invention having been herein described, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a walking aid comprising a pair of skilike members adapted for support on a floor for longitudinal movement thereover and having an upper surface for supporting the foot of an individual, the improvement comprising each of said ski members being, formed with a longitudinal slot between the ends thereof, extending from side to side below theupper surface, and

left and right arm supports for said ski members, the left arm support being firmly secured to the right ski member'and extending through the slot of the left ski member and having a portion extending upwardly on the outer side of said left ski member to a suflicient height to serve as a left arm support, the right arm support being firmly secured to the left ski memher and passing through the slot of the right ski member to the outer side thereof, and having a portion extending upwardly to a sufficient height to serve as a right arm support, said arm supports being in vertical offset relationship within said openings and being adapted for re ciprocating by-passing movement relative to one another, said left arm support being adapted to move the right ski forward under the additional forward moving influence of the right foot, and the right arm support being adapted to move the left foot forward under the corresponding influence of the left foot.

2. In a walking aid comprising a pair of skilike members adapted for support on a floor for longitudinal movement thereover and having an upper surface for supporting the foot of an individual, the improvement comprising each of said "ski members being formed with' 'a longitudinal slot between the ends thereof, extending from side to side below the upper surface, and

bers, the left arm support being firmly secured in said openings and beingadapted for reciprocating by-passing movement relative to -one another, said left arm support being adapted to l move the right ski forward under the additional forward moving influence of the right foot, and the right arm support being adapted to move ,the left foot forward under the corresponding influence of the left foot, adjustable stop means for each of said ski members respectively at the forward andrearward ends of said openings for selectively limiting the length of. the reciprocating movement of said ski members relative to one another. y

3. In a Walking aid comprising a pair of movable foot support means, each having a front end, a back end, and inner and outer side edges including foot securement means thereon, mean s on said foot support means for guiding forward and backward reciprocal movement of said respective foot support means relative to one another, said guiding means including handhold means extending upwardly relative to said respective foot support means, the improvement comprising each of said foot support means hav ing a longitudinally extending horizontal slot means therethrough from side to side thereof,- said slot means being relatively vertically spaced, said guiding means including said hand-hold means extending from corresponding of said foot support means through said respective slot means to a position alongside and outwardly of the outer side edge of the other of said foot support means and alongside the outside of the foot securement means on said other foot support means.

4. In a walking aid as defined in claim 3, said guiding means extending outwardly on each side of the walking aid to positions spaced laterally from the outer respective side edges of said foot support means to permit lateral outward movement of said respective foot support means and also to permit angular turning movement of said foot support means relative to one another.

5. In a walking aid as defined in claim 4, said hand-hold means terminating upwardly at approximately the hip level of an intended user of the aid, said terminations beingspaced laterally outwardly from respective vertical planes intersecting corresponding side edges of the foot support means.

BERNICE RINGMAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,982,843 'Iraver Dec. 4, 193 2,160,722 Cunningham May 30, 1939 2,538,838 7 Kuhnen 1 Jan. 23, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 331,825 Great Britain 1930 

